SPECIALTY MARKET DRUGSTORE CATERING TO LATINOS.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

VAN NUYS - Business as usual won't work at the farmacia on the corner.

Drugstore chains have long drawn criticism for ignoring the Latino market, an increasingly powerful economic force that, according to census data, accounts for more than 30 percent of Southern California's population. Largely run by out-of-state corporations unfamiliar with local demographics, they operated with few attempts to cater to Spanish-speaking consumers for years.

But as populations have shifted, drugstore operators have learned they need to alter their plans.

``It's become obvious that the Latino community is becoming a more important segment of the United States' population each year,'' said Michael Polzin, a spokesman for Walgreens. ``If you want to reach out to a significant portion of your customers, you need to be able to connect with the Latino community.''

Walgreens' rival, CVS/pharmacy, will be the latest to try its hand in the hotly competitive Los Angeles market. The Woonsocket, R.I.-based chain pulled out of California in the early 1990s, but will open its first San Fernando Valley location Sunday, part of an expansion campaign that will bring 20 stores to Los Angeles and Orange County by year's end. In addition to the first location in Van Nuys at the corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and Sherman Way, it will add spots in Reseda, North Hollywood and Westwood.

Mindful that it needs to set itself apart from the other major chains, all of which have expansion plans in the region as well, CVS will heavily court Latino shoppers. Borrowing from the experience it has in other Latino markets such as Miami and Houston, the chain has added bilingual signs and will print dual-language circulars hyping its product lines, as well as offering prescription labels printed in Spanish. Its aisles also have more Latino-oriented products, from Tres Flores hair-care products to Aceite de Almendras, a sweet almond oil emollient.

Walgreens offers similar amenities, as well as a Spanish-language Web site where customers can look up drug information and refill prescriptions in their native tongue.

``Obviously, the percentage of the Hispanic population is quite significant,'' said Helena Foulkes, senior vice president of advertising and marketing for CVS. ``We really wanted to understand what they were looking for, and we want bilingual employees at all times. We know Hispanic customers tend to be very loyal to their pharmacy, so we wanted to make sure the staff can answer their questions.''

More than 600 applicants turned out to the store during its recent four-day job fair hoping to fill its 45 jobs. Of those hired, 70 percent speak Spanish. Such customer interaction is crucial to retaining shoppers, according to Jackie Fernandez, a partner of consumer business with Deloitte & Touche's Los Angeles office.

``It sounds like CVS has done their homework on demographics,'' she said. ``They know the Hispanic community is under-served. Grocers and apparel sellers do an OK job, but there's not that much from the other drugstores.''

Brent Hopkins, [phone]

brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Barry Stephens of SPAR Merchandising Group sets up signs at the new CVS store on Sepulveda Boulevard and Sherman Way in Van Nuys on shelves that are only as high as 5 feet, 4 inches, the average woman.

(2 -- color) Of those hired for the new CVS store, 70 percent speak Spanish. The drugstore with also offer Spanish-language prescriptions and specialty products for at a Latino market.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer